A Stranger In The Nest
by Red Fiona
Summary: A new year means new challenges and new faces in an on going Hogwarts tale. The revised version, I realised I had some continuity problems
1. A New Year With New Faces

Author: Red Fiona  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognise, JK Rowling does, and I'm making no money from this.  
  
Summary: There's a new student at Hogwarts, but who is she? And what does she want?  
  
Notes: Sorry about the bland summary. And yes there is a new character who's female but I don't think she's a Mary Sue, even if her name is Susan. It's my first try at this so, please bear with me. Set after Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire, so some spoilers if you haven't read that.  
  
Feedback is gratefully recieved as always.  
  
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The Sorting had taken place and all the new students had taken their places at their respective tables. One poor girl had nearly been scared to death by the Bloody Baron but other than that it had all gone well.  
  
Professor Dumbledore made his speech and everyone got down to eating. It might have been the weather, but everyone was very hungry. Professor McGonagall came to the Gryffindor table and spoke quietly to the Prefect. He in turn walked to where the fifth years were sat.  
  
"Hello Jones, what brings you down here?"  
  
"Professor McGonagall wants a word with you, after the feast. Don't think it's something bad, but it sounds important. Good luck." He went back to the seat he had come from.  
  
"So what do you think she wants?" asked Hermionie.  
  
"Probably to give Harry some award or something."  
  
"Or to tell Hermionie that she's good enough to take her O.W.Ls a year early." None of them had the faintest idea, but they were all a little worried, the last time there was something mysterious going on, it had led to the Tri-Wizard tournament. And everyone knew how that had turned out.  
  
Harry turned round, as expected Hufflepuff were still solemn, and there was less fanfare than usual. Even, as he turned the High Table, Snape seemed to be looking at him with less venom. Still enough to give him a slight ache in the head but nothing as severe as usual. Snape as a whole looked even paler and more unhappy than usual. And Professor Dumbledore seemed to have aged five years over the summer holidays. Something was definitely happening with Vol-You Know Who. Harry still wasn't sure what to call him.  
  
The Slytherin intake had been as hard faced as in previous years with the odd face dotted about who looked decent and therefore out of place. Malfoy's face too had hardened over the summer, as had Crabbe and Goyle's. The recent events had shaken everyone.  
  
There were also a few people who weren't there. Their parents must have chosen not to let them back. Harry worried about these people, at least if they were here Professor Dumbledore would have been able to protect them.  
  
The feast was soon over and the food vanished from in front of them. The Prefects led the first years out and soon everyone followed them to their dorms. In the movement, Hermionie, Ron and Harry moved towards the High Table. Professor McGonagall saw them and walked towards them.  
  
"Good, you're all here. There's someone I want you to meet." Who could it be? Maybe it was their new DADA teacher, somehow, they didn't expect Mad-eye Moody to return. All three wished it would be Remus Lupin but with Voldemort gathering strength they doubted it. He'd probably be working for the Ministry or secretly for Dumbledore.  
  
They followed her to a room on the front corridor. She opened the door, "This is Susan Woodford. She's new and I felt that Gryffindor house would be the one to make her most welcome." She didn't add, don't fail me, but she didn't need to. "She'll be in your year, although she will be taking astronomy instead of arithmacy or divination."  
  
She moved aside so they could see the girl. And after such a big build up, she was a bit of a disappointment. Short, thick dark hair, probably black, but they couldn't be sure with the lights in the room. Short and dark did seem to describe her overall. She carried with her two small cases and had some sort of instrument case attached to her back. Her robe was shaby, to be polite about it, it looked about 40 years old and had gone grey in some places, and was fraying on two of the seams.  
  
Ron spoke first, "You're in luck, you're in Gryffindor house, we'll look after you. Much better than those nasty old Slytherins."  
  
"Weasley."  
  
"Sorry miss." But the girl looked as though she was smiling and stopped looking quite so terrified.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi. I'm Hermionie Granger, the one who just made a fool of himself is Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter." Everyone stealed themselves for her reaction.  
  
"The Harry Potter."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wow, even more pleased to meet you then. I'm pleased to meet you two as well." She went a little pink. "I know it's horribly rude of me, but I've heard so much about Harry."  
  
A brief look passed over Ron's face but that was all. "You don't read the Daily Prophet do you?"  
  
"The what? No, I don't think so."  
  
Since introductions had been made, Professor McGonagall thought it was time for everyone to go. "I'm sure you're all very tired. Would you be so kind as to take Miss Woodford to the dorms, and show her round tomorrow. You won't have any lessons in the morning, there's been a problem with the timetables."  
  
Ron cheered quietly in the background and hoped Professor McGonagall wouldn't hear him.  
  
"Bye miss." They took Susan's cases and got out of the door before they could have any points deducted.  
  
Susan had gone quite silent by the time they reached the Fat Lady. "This is how we get into our dorm. You've got to give the password. What did Jones say it was?"  
  
"It was mandrake root." Hermionie had of course remembered it. They all stepped through the hole.  
  
"The girl's dorm is this way," said Hermionie as she led Susan up the stairs. They'd have to get a proper idea of what she was like in the morning.  
  
~~~~  
  
more soon 


	2. Meeting People Is Easy (Or not as the ca...

Notes and Disclaimers: See part 1  
  
Feedback gratefully received.  
  
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By the time Ron and Harry got to the Common Room the next morning, they could see Hermionie and Susan chatting away near the fire. They seemed to be debating which was better Arithmacy or Astronomy.  
  
Ron looked at Harry. "We're too late. Hermionie's got her claws into poor Susan."  
  
"Shh, she'll hear us."  
  
"I can already hear you. And I haven't got claws have I?"  
  
Susan laughed a little. "Not at all. And we were just having a little talk about which was more interesting Arithmacy or Astronomy. And I said I didn't mind Arithmacy, well not too much, but that I really loved Astronomy. Something about the stars."  
  
"Ack. You can't like Astronomy, there's too much writing. And I don't want to talk about schoolwork when there's a perfectly good breakfast waiting downstairs."  
  
"Food. I don't know why, I suppose it's nerves, but I'm very hungry."  
  
They rushed down to the Hall and ate. While they were doing this, the gang filled Susan in on the who and what's of Hogwarts. They told her about the ghosts and Peeves, and Filch and Mrs. Norris, complete with sound effects from Ron.  
  
Madame Hooch strode into the hall looking imperious. She went to the high table and spoke, "Silence." The room went quiet. "You're timetables have been fixed. Here they are." On cue hundreds of pieces of paper flew into the room, each to its proper owner. There were more than a few groans and grumbles when people read them and saw who they had and when. Madame Hooch walked out.  
  
Harry, Hermionie, Ron and Susan all looked at their timetables. Susan didn't know anything about the teachers so they filled her in.  
  
Neither Ron nor Harry really knew that much about Professor Sinistra but Hermionie knew someone else who had taken Astronomy and they said that she was nice. A bit of a nut for homework but Hermionie made that sound like a good thing. No one knew who their new Defence against Dark Arts teacher would be, but they told her a bit about the previous ones. Susan's eyes went as wide as saucers.  
  
They told her about Professor McGonagall, Professor Hooch and Professor Flitwick. About subjects like Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Susan flinched a little.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm not that good with animals."  
  
"You'll be okay."  
  
Harry picked up the tale from where Ron had ended it. "And then we've got Potions with Professor Snape." He couldn't help the look of distaste on his face.  
  
"The Professor Snape?"  
  
"You mean there might be more." Ron looked horrified at the thought.  
  
"I only know of the one and when my father mentions him, it's normally just before a string of curse words."  
  
"It's definitely the same one then."  
  
"Oh dear."  
  
They had started filling her in on the pupils, with Harry nearly blushing pink at the mention of Cho, when the daily owl post came through. Neville's dropped a small package containing his dress robes.  
  
Ron looked at Neville enviously, "I wish I could forget mine."  
  
In the middle of the owls came a raven, which headed straight for Susan. "Hello, pretty. What've you got for me then?"  
  
The raven dropped a small note. Susan opened it and read it quickly. All it said was 'Glad to hear you arrived safely. Good luck."  
  
Several people were looking astonished, so Susan turned to Hermionie, "What's the problem?"  
  
"I don't think we're allowed ravens, I thought it was only owls, or cats, or toads."  
  
"I did ask Professor Dumbledore and he said it would be okay."  
  
"Then it will be. But why've you got a raven anyway? It's a bit unusual isn't it."  
  
"There aren't that many owls around where I live so I thought it would be easier to just use Farand. They can't carry as much as owls, and don't look at me like that Farand, but they're quick." She let the raven go after paying it, and it flew back out of the window.  
  
Draco Malfoy and his goons chose that moment to appear. They slithered over to Harry's table.  
  
"Morning Malfoy." Everyone clutched at their wands just in case.  
  
"Morning Potter. So that's the sort of rubbish they let into Hogwarts now, is it? And she's obviously a Gryffindor, just look at her. They'd never let someone like that into Slytherin." He, Crabbe and Goyle moved away before anyone hit them.  
  
"So that's the Malfoy heir?" Susan didn't look impressed, a bit worried though.  
  
"Yes, horrible little toad isn't he? But it should be all right, we've only got to cope with the Slytherin's in Flying and in Potions, but that's a double worst luck, and with Snape."  
  
"Well I'm not letting anyone ruin Potions for me. That's my favourite subject."  
  
"Susan, you're crazy."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Hermionie looked at the clock. "We'd better get going to lessons now." And with that, they went.  
  
~~~~  
  
That was how the first week progressed. Susan stuck pretty tightly to them, afraid of getting lost, and of running into Malfoy.  
  
Professor McGonagall's classes were getting even harder and she kept them working until the bell every lesson, and then the nights and weekends with homework. But they were starting to learn how to transfigure bigger objects now, and were promised that they would learn the spell for something as large as a table by the end of the year.  
  
Professor Flitwick's lessons became quite dangerous, because the charms became increasingly complicated and difficult, and Neville was having the usual problems. They had tried an animal summoning charm and he'd ended up being stung by a swarm of upset bees.  
  
History lessons had become duller, mainly because they finished the bloodthirsty exploits of the Goblin rebellion and moved on to tranquil things like the reign of Drussa the Peaceful, or Drussa the so bloody peaceful everyone died of boredom, as Ron called him.  
  
As she had predicted, Susan was terrible at Care of Magical Animals. She'd only got anywhere because of Ron, Harry and Hermionie helping her out. At least she didn't have to deal with blast-ended skrewts. No, this year Hagrid had outdone himself. The creatures, which he called Salumfires, were small, even tempered and didn't bite. They didn't have to. They excreted a horrible gel which stunk to high heavens and refused to wash off. People tended to were disposable gloves for that lesson.  
  
But the one lesson were Susan was truly awful was flying, she was even worse at it than Neville was. So it didn't help at all that they had that lesson with Slytherin. She just couldn't stay on the damn brooms. It had reached the stage where even Madam Hooch was beginning to despair for her. Harry on the other hand was also certain that he had seen Malfoy enchant Susan's broom at least once. But when he told her that, all she said was that it wouldn't have made much difference. She was already on to her third broom repair. Luckily she'd learned to roll with her falls so the worst injury she'd received was a sprained wrist and ankle.  
  
But Potions was, as usual, worst of all. It had started badly, with Professor Snape deducting points from Gryffindor purely because Harry was still breathing, or that's what it seemed like. The lessening in spite that Harry thought he had observed during the Sorting hadn't lasted. Snape had become more vicious, nasty, and cruel. And so had his Potions lessons, if that was possible.  
  
During the very first one he'd managed to deduct 50 points from Gryffindor, nearly reduce Neville to hysterics, to give Dean and Seamus three detentions and to give Susan a nickname.  
  
It had started off badly, as he'd gone through the register.  
  
"Weasley."  
  
"Here sir."  
  
"Oh you are, are you. I thought I'd seen the last of your family when your brothers left, but I'd forgotten the littlest Weasley." The Slytherins tittered. Snape went through more names. "Potter."  
  
"Here sir."  
  
"Don't I know it." He reached the end of the list, being scathing about all the Gryffindors, when he reached a new name that had been inked in. "Woodford."  
  
"Here sir."  
  
"Oh so your father finally decided that this school was good enough for his precious Pumpkin."  
  
She looked miserable. As well she might, since all the Slytherins took to calling her Pumpkin.  
  
That was how the term continued. 


	3. And It Was All Going So Well

Disclaimers and Notes: See Part 1. Feedback is a lovely thing indeed, and I'm very grateful if I ever get any.  
  
Huge thanks to Anna and Starlight for their kind feeback, I'm glad you are enjoying it.  
  
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Harry had been amazed at how well everything had gone so far in the year. While Snape insisted on taking points from Gryffindor at every opportunity, Professor Dumbledore seemed to enjoy giving them back for a job well done in settling Susan in, and during DADA lessons. That subject had become even better than before with the Headmaster teaching them. He was one of the greatest fighters against the dark arts that had ever lived, and he was teaching them. It was mind-blowing.  
  
Susan didn't hang round with them much any more, which proved it to have been a job well done, she'd found her own set of friends, mainly some of the friendly Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs.  
  
While was thinking this, he and Ron were supposed to be ploughing through their Divination homework, but it wasn't going well. "I give up. None of this makes sense."  
  
"I'm glad I'm not the only one with problems. Look at it this way Harry, at least you can get away with prophesying your own death, people try it often enough. I can't, no one wants to kill me."  
  
"You make it sound like a good thing."  
  
But at least now they could be light hearted about it. For all the talk of Voldemort being back, you couldn't have guessed it from the school, everything carried on as normal. And at least no one had tried to kill him this term.  
  
And the Quidditch season was starting which meant he got to train nearly every day, and he got to play against Cho when they faced Ravenclaw in the first inter house match of the season.  
  
Some people though weren't as exited about it as others. Susan had stated her intention not to go and watch the match because she had better things to do.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Ron, "There's nothing better than Quidditch."  
  
"There's plenty of thing better than Quidditch. It's just fourteen idiots on sticks whacking magical balls at each other."  
  
"There's a lot more to it than that."  
  
Susan gave him a quizzical look. "Pardon me if I don't agree. That and I've got a ton of Astronomy notes to copy up. You were right, there's too much writing."  
  
"Told you so." Susan set at him with a feather she had conjured up.  
  
Susan wasn't the only person who didn't go and watch the match, Professor Snape didn't either, but that was normal. He didn't crawl out of his dungeon unless Slytherin were playing, or it was meal time. Some first years also told Harry that Snape had taken them for a Transfigurations cover, but he didn't want to believe them.  
  
~~~~  
  
Gryffindor had won, but it was a close run thing, only ten points in it at the end. Without Fred and George, they were being overwhelmed by the bludgers, and the Ravenclaw chasers were very good but luckily Harry spotted the snitch before the chasers had scored too many points. Katie Bell, now their captain, looked murderous afterwards but that was because she wanted to keep Oliver Wood's high standards up.  
  
~~~~  
  
The rest of the Autumn term would have gone as smoothly had it not been for two things. The first was a mysterious package that Harry received one morning. It had seemed like an ordinary parcel, except for it not having an address on it, all it said was 'To Harry Potter, treat with extreme caution'.  
  
He was more than a little worried, so when he opened it he made sure he was sat far away from everyone. He had told Hermionie and Ron to watch out in case it exploded or anything like that.  
  
He need not have been so careful. There was nothing in it apart from a small scrap of paper saying, "You're next."  
  
That was what worried him. Next to what. He was about to get up and show the message to Professor Dumbledore when the dreadful itching started. His flesh felt like it had hundreds of ants crawling beneath it, so he scratched. But that made it worse.  
  
The next thing he could remember with any clarity was Mrs. Pomfrey dousing the burning skin in some potion or another, telling him that it would be okay. At some point between the start of the itch and looking for the piece of paper in question, it had vanished.  
  
Luckily, Professor Dumbledore believed that it existed when Ron and Hermionie backed him up. Malfoy on the other hand made it out to be another one of Harry's little stunts to gain attention, and Snape voiced this opinion in class as well.  
  
While Professor Dumbledore insisted that Snape was good now, Harry was never so certain, especially not after double potions, where he, his friends and his house had been ridiculed for two hours. Who else would have been able to brew such a potion?  
  
Snape also had to do with the second incident. Harry had suffered through yet another detention, even though he wasn't sure what Snape was using as the cause for it. He was in such a rush to get out that he forgot to pick up his Charms textbook as he left the room. Since he had Charms homework, that he hadn't done yet, due in for the next day, he thought it would be best if he collected the book.  
  
He was about to knock on the door when he heard two angry voices. He leant closer to the door.  
  
"I can't believe you put me in Gryffindor! Gryffindor of all places. I'm Slytherin to the core and you stick me with them." The voice sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place it.  
  
"I had to, for the plan to succeed." That voice was unmistakable, the faint sneer, the hatred of humanity that poured out, it could only have been Snape.  
  
"I know, blah, blah, cosy up to the little 'uns, make nice."  
  
"...You're..."  
  
"Don't say it, I know, I'm only a little older than they are, but I feel ancient. I mean opening that parcel, how stupid can he get?"  
  
"You'd be amazed, sometimes Potter astounds even me with his foolishness."  
  
"Which is why I am here."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
The door creaked, there was the muffled sound of an incantation and Snape snapped open the door. "What are you doing here, Potter?"  
  
"Sorry sir, I think I left my Charms textbook in here."  
  
"Getting a little forgetful are we? Or is this just an excuse to come spying on me."  
  
"I don't know what you mean sir."  
  
"Oh but you do Potter, you do. And you'd do well to remember that I'm on to your little game."  
  
Harry shut up and searched for his textbook. He also took a quick look to see if there was anyone else in the room. No, no one there. "Thanks sir," he said, brandishing the textbook.  
  
"Good, you've found it. Now get out."  
  
"Yes sir." Harry scarpered.  
  
So Harry was receiving strange parcels and Snape was having visitors who could vanish in seconds. How very odd. Were they connected? He'd have to find Ron and Hermionie to ask them, but he'd have to wait till tomorrow morning, they were busy watching a film in Hogsmede as part of Muggle Studies, Harry would have been there himself if not for this blasted detention. 


	4. Christmas Is Nearing

Notes and disclaimers: See part 1.  
  
Feedback gratefully received as normal.  
  
~~~~  
  
It was late when Hermionie and Ron came back from Hogsmede, but Harry was still wide awake.  
  
"Harry, are you all right, you seem a little upset?"  
  
"You how I had that stupid detention off Snape, well after it, I went back to collect my Charms book and Snape's up to something."  
  
"Well what's new?" ask Ron, "He's always up to something."  
  
"Or so you say." Hermionie was trying to be the voice of reason again.  
  
"But this time it's worse, he's got someone else working for him, and they're here at school."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"I don't know, that's the problem. It's female definitely, and in Gryffindor."  
  
Hermionie was putting two and two together, "You don't think it could be Susan do you?"  
  
"No, it can't be. She's so..." Ron was stuck for a word so he just made a face.  
  
"I've got to go with Ron on this one, how could it be Susan? Whoever it was vanished from the room like they'd apparated, where would she have learnt how to apparate?"  
  
"You can't apparate on school grounds." Hermionie was still a little uptight about this.  
  
"Then how did whoever it was get out?"  
  
"I don't know. But it can't be Susan, she jumps if Malfoy even looks at her, she'd never be able to cope with working with Snape."  
  
"Maybe it's one of the first years. I mean, we don't know anything about most of them do we."  
  
"She's got a point Harry."  
  
"'Suppose she does. But I'm going to keep my eye on Susan."  
  
~~~~  
  
Which he did. There was also the added complication of the Yule Ball. Because there were fewer people staying this year the ball would be smaller but the problem of finding someone to go with still remained.  
  
Harry plucked up enough courage to ask Cho, but again she said no, this time because she was going home over Christmas.  
  
Ron was looking around stuck and asked Hermionie. She did say yes, but only because she knew Victor wouldn't mind. So Harry had to cope with Ron doing bad impressions of Hermionie talking about 'her darling Viccy'.  
  
Seeing that Susan was also staying over Christmas, Harry thought that going to the ball with her would be a good excuse to find out if she was up to something.  
  
"So you're staying here over Christmas as well?"  
  
"Yeah, the beloved parents decided they didn't want to be so beloved anymore and have run away to parts unmentioned, but I think it's Brazil."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"No, they're right, I probably will have more fun here."  
  
"So, who are you going to the dance with?"  
  
"Go to the dance, you must be mad. I have, and sorry for the cliche, nothing to wear."  
  
"You could just go anyway."  
  
"I really don't want to cope with Malfoy. Especially not in these ratty old things." She pointed at her robes.  
  
"I'll come with you. That might shut him up."  
  
"It's really sweet of you but no thanks. I might go for the feast and vanish."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Okay then. See you there."  
  
Harry was suspicious, no one missed the Yule Ball, no matter how badly dressed they were or how poorly they danced in Neville's case. Since Ginny was already going with Neville, Harry supposed he would have to take Lavender Brown up on her offer. It was going to be a boring evening for him.  
  
~~~~  
  
Harry's mood was not helped by another strange package arriving. Harry didn't open it, he took it straight to Professor McGonagall. Carefully she opened it and looked inside. Nothing in there other than another note, this time saying, 'Are you worried yet?'  
  
But the package did contain a nasty surprise, it started shouting, at a deafening level, about Harry Potter being an deranged parseltongue. It also shouted about precisely who it thought was his father, depending when you heard it, it said, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort himself, which caused several listeners to shudder, Dumbledore, and any number of animals. All in all it was rather unpleasant.  
  
When it reached the apex of noise, Professor Trelawney snatched it up and shut it up. Everyone who'd heard it was in some state of shock, none more so than Harry. After he had been restored with a gulp of brandy, everyone set about trying to find out who the parcel was from. Unluckily, the second Trelawney released the paper, it burst into magenta flames.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked deep in thought, but she realised that lessons started soon and sent Harry to his next lesson.  
  
As bad luck would have it, the next lesson was Potions. Of course Malfoy had heard the parcel because it had been so loud.  
  
"Hello Potter. Or should that be Black or Lupin?" A small smirk played on his features. Harry was refusing to rise to the bait. "Of course this could be just another attention-seeking scam. I mean, we all know you're a little unstable. But even for all the attention it's got you, how could you say that about your mother?"  
  
Harry was about to explode but Ron beat him to it. "He didn't. Of course you would know about lying about your mother. I mean you have to, to try and pretend she doesn't know that your father's a death eater."  
  
Draco turned an interesting shade of puce and was about to hit Ron when Susan started to walk down the stairs. It was too good an opportunity to miss for Malfoy, who stuck his leg out and tripped Susan up.  
  
Everyone gasped and then let out a sigh of relief when she merely rolled down the steps and onto her feet as though she'd never been head over heels in the first place.  
  
"Are you okay Sue?"  
  
"Fine thanks, Harry."  
  
"How did you do that?"  
  
"That was easy, Malfoy ought to meet my brother, he's been doing that to me for as long as I can remember."  
  
Snape had to come round the corner at that second though. "Very well done Miss Woodford. Like all of Gryffindor you have a remarkable talent ... for showing off."  
  
"But sir..." Susan looked cowed.  
  
"No more, or I shall dock points. As it is, since you seem to be able to roll so well I want an essay on the uses of hedgehog spines, of no less than 1000 words to be delivered to me by Monday."  
  
"That's Christmas Day."  
  
"I know. And 5 points from Gryffindor for backchat."  
  
"Sorry sir."  
  
They all went into lesson. Harry began to feel that Ron and Hermionie must be right, how could Susan, who hadn't reacted at all to the sheer unfairness of the essay, have anything to do with Snape.  
  
~~~~  
  
More soon. 


	5. The Christmas Ball

Sorry for the delay in posting more of this.  
  
All feedback gratefully received.  
  
Red Fiona  
  
Susan had managed to finish the essay, but she still wasn't going to the ball. She had told Harry that she would be going to the feast, and then leaving discreetly. It made Harry feel bad, because it was Christmas, and he felt that no one should be left on their own over the holidays.  
  
Everyone else attended in full dress, a couple of the 7th years tried their luck and came in not quite exact dress but McGonagall sent them, with a whole hive of bees in their ears, back to their rooms to change.  
  
Susan stood out like a sore thumb. She ate quickly, as though trying to avoid being noticed. No such luck. Malfoy saw her and sauntered over with Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"I don't believe my eyes, I think I can see the only person who would marry Weasley for the money."  
  
"Go away Malfoy." Harry stood up for Susan. It wasn't her fault that she didn't have a dress robe.  
  
"Make me."  
  
The tension in the air grew. Harry was trying to decide whether hitting Malfoy would be worth the trouble it would put him in. He was about to decide yes when someone spoke.  
  
"If he doesn't I might." It was someone Harry didn't recognise. The boy, or man rather, he looked a few years older than the 7th years, was tall and gaunt, with mid-brown hair and blue eyes. He looked like someone, but Harry couldn't place it.  
  
But Susan reaction was the most astounded. "S..S..Simon? Is that you?"  
  
"Who else is it going to be?"  
  
"But I didn't think you could come."  
  
"I didn't think so either, but we had a breakthrough this afternoon, and I thought I would use the time well." Simon picked Susan up and twirled her around. "Well, aren't you going to introduce everyone?"  
  
Susan was still in shock over Simon's appearance did her best. "Well, um, this is Simon. He went to my old school. Known him since I was little. He's um, well, um, he's a friend." She was starting to blush.  
  
"Simon, this is Harry, Hermionie and Ron. They go to school with me."  
  
"And the idiot who's slouching off?"  
  
"Malfoy, but he's not important. How did you get in here?"  
  
"I've got Professor Dumbledore's permission. I explained that I wanted to make a flying visit, and he said it would be all right, so long as I behaved."  
  
"You behave, never." Even while she said that, Susan hugged Simon tightly, as though she never wanted him to go ever again.  
  
Harry felt as though he was seeing the blossoming of some new flower. Susan was at greater ease than he had ever seen her. Even with her workday robes on, she was dancing round the room, looking like she didn't have a care in the world.  
  
But someone was missing. The chilling presence of their Potions teacher was lacking. If Snape really was up to something, now would have been the perfect time to do it, with everyone having fun in here, no one would notice a thing.  
  
Ron and Hermionie came over to him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Snape."  
  
"But he's not here. I bet he's skulking around the bushes upsetting people." It was a reasonable guess to make, that's what Snape had been doing last year.  
  
"Precisely. He could be doing anything right now, and we wouldn't be able to stop him."  
  
"Do you think it's safe to leave Susan on her own?" Hermionie had decided she didn't like the looks Malfoy was giving Susan, and she wasn't certain about Simon, there was something wrong about him.  
  
"With Simon there, Malfoy's not going to disturb her, and I can't see anyone else trying anything with everyone there."  
  
"True."  
  
"So let's investigate." 


End file.
